The Morning Routine That Actually Works (No 5AM Alarm Required)
I get it, sleep is amazing. We barely get enough as it is, so why in the world would I want to be an early bird?
About 10 years ago, I won a copy of the book “A Miracle Morning”. I saw the tagline “transform your life before 8AM”, I laughed and laughed and put the book away. No way.
Fast forward a few months, my toddler was needing a little less constant attention and I felt like maybe I could think about picking up a book again.
I went to my bookshelf and started combing through what I had.
Too big.
Too boring.
Too educational..
Until I grabbed the Miracle Morning and thought “maybe this one is just right” it’s a small book and the text is quite big. Ease my way into it.
As soon as I opened it though, my life was transformed. After a few chapters I had already decided that I would become a morning person.
At around the same time, I had started an online fitness business and the book made it very clear - miracles would happen.
So, I set my alarm for 5:45AM and got everything ready for my morning S.A.V.E.R.S. (Silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing).
Day after day.
Tired or not.
Up all night with the kiddos or not.
I was up at 5:45.
But my life didn’t change.
My business didn’t pick up.
Other than being exhausted, this morning routine thing brought nothing to me.
So, I turned off the alarm and decided that sleep would be much better for me anyways.
I would wake up to the sound of the kiddos. Jump out of bed and straight into the chaos of the day.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that even though my morning routine didn’t make me a millionaire, it did make me a better mom.
A calmer mom.
A more patient mom.
A mom who had a moment to herself before being needed by everyone else.
I made a plan. Not as intense as the S.A.V.E.R.S., but something that would save me.
It was the best decision - ever!
I made sure it fit my needs and my schedule.
I also made sure it could be switched around. One morning, I would say my affirmations as I waited for my coffee. The other, I would stretch my tired body. I could just wake up and ask myself, “What do you need right now?” and not feel guilty if the answer was reading in bed.
Phew! Okay!
Let’s get back to the present moment.
10 years later.
With one kid away to University and a teenager who sleeps all day.
My alarm no longer needs to be set for 5:45 to get some quiet morning time that’s for sure, but there’s something about the peacefulness of mornings that you just don’t get past 8AM.
I’m not saying you need to make a drastic change, but I’m saying that if your body insists of waking you up at 4AM - instead of fighting it, embrace it!
Get your favourite mug for your coffee, slap on some under eye patches, pick your card of the day and journal about it. Find a morning yoga flow on YouTube or an EFT tapping session that you want to try.
Move slowly. Quietly.
Romanticize the moment of stillness before the day begins.
Don’t write down a structured plan because that is the best way to NOT want to do any of it, instead ask yourself: “What do I need right now?”
Here are some of my favourite things to do to make it a great morning:
- Affirmations
- Card of the day & journal
- Meditation or EFT (make a playlist on YouTube so you don’t waste your precious morning time looking for the perfect video)
- Yoga flow (again, build the playlist ahead of time)
Or if you’re running a little late, put an earbud in and listen to a podcast while doing your hair and makeup.
If it all seems too boring for you - have a dance party! It gets the blood flowing and you can’t help but have a smile on your face. (Here’s my Happy Morning playlist. Feel free to dance it out!)
Tell me, what are you most excited to try?
Share your morning routine with us and inspire others to hop on the Magical Morning train.
Coffee Cheers,
Nadia